James f



(No Model.)

J. F. BRITTINGHAM.

PUZZLE.

No. 567,804. Patented Sept. 15,1896.

IN VEN TUI? W/TNEssEs s PETERS w, wom um UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

JAMES F. BRITTINGHAM, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,804, dated September 15, 1896.

Application filed June 2'7, 1896. Serial No. 597,134. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES F. BniTTINeHAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, wherever found, throughout both the views.

This invention relates to puzzles; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple in construction but difiicult of solution, but the solution of which may be accomplished by the exeroise of care, skill, and ingenuity in the manipulation thereof.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specication, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure l is a plan View of my improved puzzle, and Fig. 2 a section on the line 2 2 thereof.

In the practice of my invention I provide an oblong box or casing comprising a bottom A, sides a, and ends a2, and this box or casing is provided at one end with a transverse bottom piece B, in which are formed a plurality of chambers or recesses b, which are preferably ve in number, as shown in the drawings. Near the end of the box or casing opposite the end Bis a partition D, in the bottom of which, and near one end thereof, is a passage d, and centrally of the box or casing is a similar partition E, having in one side thereof, and at the bottom, a passage E2, and connected therewith and projecting in the direction of the partition D are two inclined plates or walls G, which are brought together at g, so as to form a triangular chamber g2, in which and near the point g is a side opening or passage g3.

Adjacent to the end of the box or casing in which the end piece B is placed is a partition II, which is provided centrally of its top with an angular notch or recess h, and I also provide a block or plate K, one end of which rests in said notch or recess h and the other on the bottom A, at a short distance from the partition E.

The'lower end of the block or plate K is provided in its upper side with a curved groove or passage 7s, which opens at one side,

as shown at 7a2, and transversely thereof is sage M extends, and said groove or passage is` open at both ends, as shown at m2, and in the upper end of the block or plate K is another groove or passage O, one end of which opens through the upper' end of the block or plate, as shown at O2, and the other end thereof extends outwardly through van arm or the extension O3, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

The transverse walls between the grooves or passages 7o, M, and O are gradually inclined along the dotted line 2, as shown at Pin Fig. 2, and I also provide a plurality of balls or spherical bodies R, which equal in number the chambers or recesses b, and these balls or bodies are preferably placed in the chamber S, formed by the partition D. As thus constructed the box or casing is divided into four principal chambers S, S2, S3, and S4, and the chamber S2 is provided with the supplemental triangular chamber ggf, and

the solution of the puzzle consists in passing the balls R from the chamber S, along the dotted line 2, into the chamber S4 and locating one of said balls or bodies in each of the chambers or recesses Z. This solution is exceedingly difficult by reason of the difficulty experienced in passing the balls or bodies up over the inclined plate or block K, along the dotted line 2 2, without allowing either of said balls or bodies to pass out through the ends of the grooves or passages le, M, and O; butit may be accomplished by the exercise of care, skill, and ingenuity of the device, and in practice I also prefer to designate the separate chambers or recesses bby a number, letter, or color, and to similarly designate the balls or bodies R, and in this event the solution of the puzzle will also involve a location of each ball or body in the chamber or recess which is similarly designated.

It is evident that changes in and modi= cations of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such changes in and modifications of the IGC construction herein described as fairly come within the scope of the invention.

The partition E and the supplemental chamber g2 may be omitted, if desired.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A puzzle comprising an oblong box or casing, having a plurality of chambers or recesses formed in one end "thereof, a transverse chamber near the opposite end, having an opening or passage therein, a similar partition near the end in which the chambers or recesses are formed, and an inclined plate or block one end of which is placed in a notch or recess formed in the top of said last-named partition, and the other end of which rests upon the bottom of the box or casing, said block or plate being provided at its lower end with a groove or passage, which opens outwardly, and also 'at one side thereof, and with a transverse groove or passage which is open at both ends, and at its upper end with another groove or passage, which opens at the end of the block or plate, and at one side thereof, and the transverse walls between said grooves or passages being gradually inclined, substantially as shown and described.

2. A puzzle comprising an oblong box or casing, having a plurality of cham-bers or recesses formed in one end thereof, a transverse chamber near the opposite end, having an opening or passage therein, a similar partition near the end in which the chambers or recesses are formed, and an inclined plate or block one end of which is placed in a notch or recess formed in the top of said last-named partition, and the other end of which rests upon the bottom of the box or casing, said block or plate being provided at its lower end with a groove or passage, which opens outwardly, and also at one side thereof, and with a transverse groove or passage which is open at both ends, and at its upper end with another groove or passage, which opens at the end of the block or plate, and at one side thereof, and the transverse walls between said grooves or passages being gradually inclined, said box or casing being also provided centrally with another partition in which is formed a passage or opening, and with inclined plates or walls which connect therewith, and which project in the direction of the end opposite to that in which the chambers or recesses are formed, and which are brought together to form a triangular chamber having a passage or opening thereinto, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of June, 1890.

JAMES F. BRITTINGIIAM. Vitnesses W. W. HILL, CHARLES S. RoeERs. 

